Grasshoppers for Kids - why do grasshoppers jump?

Grasshoppers

Grasshopper

When grasshoppers first evolved from earlier insects, about 300 million years ago, they lived in forests of huge ferns, and the main danger to grasshoppers came from frogs. Like frogs, grasshoppers evolved to be good jumpers. They ate mainly ferns.

But grasshoppers have had to evolve in many different ways over the years to keep up with changes in their environment. About 200 million years ago, the climate got a lot more dry and hot. Grasshoppers evolved a thin waxy coat over their hard shells to keep from losing too much water to evaporation.

And when birds and flowering plants and grasses evolved, about 100 million years ago, grasshoppers changed to meet the new situation. Now grasshoppers mainly eat grass, instead of ferns, and their biggest enemies are birds, instead of frogs.


To find out more about insects and crabs, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your library:

Arthropods
Biology
Chemistry
Math
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Cite this page: Carr, Karen (PhD).

Kidipede - History for Kids. 2012.
http://www.scienceforkids.kidipede.com/biology/animals/arthropods/grasshoppers.htm